Burglars have relentlessly targeted homes and residential garages in a specific corner of Minneapolis within a week's time, and authorities are telling residents to call 911 with all due urgency with their suspicions.

Police said Wednesday there were at least 16 residential burglaries in the far southeastern corner of the city from Aug. 30 to Sept. 5, which includes the Labor Day weekend, when many people are out and about.

They occurred in six neighborhoods: Diamond Lake, Hale, Keewaydin, Minnehaha, Morris Park and Wenonah.

Nearly half of them occurred between midnight and 4 a.m., according to a police crime alert that was sent to residents in those neighborhoods and others in the department's Third Precinct.

Police said the thieves made off with jewelry, garden and yard equipment, tools, bicycles and other valuables.

While the string of crimes is not violent, and no residents were home at the time of these burglaries, police spokeswoman Sgt. Catherine Michal said this type of offense "can have a significant impact on the victim's well-being and sense of security. The effects of this crime can be long lasting. It's not just money and material possessions at stake; victims tend to feel anger, fear and a sense of being violated."

While breaking through or forcing open doors were the most common entry tactics in these burglaries, the suspects at times just got in through an unlocked window or door, cut a screen or removed a window.

Police say they have arrested one of at least two of the known perpetrators, a juvenile believed responsible for four of the crimes.

"Call 911 if you see anything suspicious," is the underlined message in the crime alert from police.

Residents were reminded of many time-tested strategies for thwarting would-be thieves: keep doors and windows locked, "even when you are home," reinforce basement windows against unwanted visitors with a metal pipe and 2-by-4s and document valuables with photos and their serial numbers if items have them.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482